Michael Starzak - Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, NY

Professor: Michael Starzak

Department: Chemistry

College: Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, NY

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: CHEM303
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

A brilliant professor who had us use his textbook manuscript (which was not like any other text on the market) and whose answer to most questions were 0 or 1 (for which you only got one point for the actual answer, you of course had to show your work). Our exams were open book and no time limit. The final exam was about 2 hours long.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: CHEM108
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Oh geez. He is a really nice guy with a great personality I just completely despised his teaching. I knew how to do most things from High School but going to class actually made me confused. I would definitely study from the book yourself- he is super confusing and wastes a lot of class time.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PCHEM101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

This Professor was awesome. I took PChem many years ago and still remember what a great guy he was. On time his grad student hung a vine in front of his office and blacked out some of the letters on his name plate so it read "M.E. Tarzan" Truely hilarious.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: CHEM351
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Really nice guy, the most helpful and personable professor I have had. The class had it's drawbacks. The textbook was useless. Lecture wasn't very good, but was always funny. The tests suffered from an arbitrary grading scheme. What's key are the review sessions for the tests, where all my learning took place. Overall a positive experience.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: CHEM303
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

A looooooong time ago, Prof Starzak taught a really hard class (Physical chemistry) with such clarity. He made it digestible for the common person with his analogies and explanations. You can't expect to get easy A's in science. You have to understand the material! It's not only about memorization. He is one of the best science teachers!

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: CHEM108
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I took Chem 108 last semester bot Starzak and Brennen. Honestly i thought Starzak was not as bad of a teacher as everyone made it out to be. If you went to his review sessions and did a bunch of his practice problems, his tests were like clockwork. His lectures on the other had were something else...Very nice and caring, a bit unorganized tho

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: CHEM108
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

he is the worst lecturer i have ever had! the lecture starts out with him trying to figure out how to use the computer, then his powerpoints are horrible and not even worth looking at. his review sessions are pointless half of the time. he is sooo nice and has an awesome personality, but he can't teach to save his life. don't get him if you can!

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: CHEM108
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I think he is adorable. I took him for 107 and got an A, but Brennan my grade was reduced to a B+. His office hours makes chem easier to comprehend.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: CHEM108
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

HE is a really nice professor....but not a best lecturer... He cant teach during the lecture but he is the BEST TEST REVIEWER! go to his test review session, and then you will be fine. He gives out the outline of the test..how can it be easier than that? He will give you the example of each topic. Because of him, chem 108 was easier than chem 107

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: CHEM108
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Starzak is a great, charismatic, and funny guy. The only problem with him was his teaching ability. Whenever he teaches. he posts up notes that confuses the class. Yeah it was a hard class with him but getting an A was not impossible. I did. My only pointer is see him one on one to fully understand his lecture.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: CHEM108
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Starzak is a very easy-going teacher and very funny when even though he does not try to be. If you want to have fun and take an easy class go with him. I passed most of my tests thanks to going to his office hours, he is very helpful and may tell you the questions.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: CHEM108
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Without a doubt, the WORST professor I have ever had at Binghamton. The worst lecturer in the entire school and does stay on task or focused on the material. He is a very nice person and really friendly, but he does not teach very well and made chemistry (already hard) a living nightmare. His tests are worded very ambiguously. Destroyed my GPA

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CHEM108
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Amazing professor. He is very funny, smart, and a great teacher. He uses great examples which illustrate his points very well. His jokes are corny but hilarious. He's much better than brennan. I recommend taking starzak erryday

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: CHEM108
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

First of all, I have to say that Dr.Starzak is very approachable and nice in person. But just because he's kind doesn't mean that he's the best lecturer. He makes numerous mistakes during class and he doesn't know how to use the powerpoint! Also, he always tells endless personal stories in calss and finishes the story saying "don't let me do this."

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: CHEM108
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

very confusing, dosent know how to use the computer, uses weird analogies

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: CHEM351
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Worst teacher I have ever had in my life. Did not follow $170 textbook. Boring, non-interactive, scatterbrained lectures on blackboard, not powerpoint. Made many mistakes in class. Did not assign any practice problems. Made learning extremely difficult. Tests are not too difficult but learning the material is with this "professor" teaching it.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He was just OK

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: CHEM452
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Starzak is imcomparable. What students need to realize is that " you need to go to his office hours and his review sessions" he will tell you everything to study for and what will be on the exam. He is very dedicated to help, very helpful, and very nice. He sees the best in people and he is very encouraging. The only way to succeed in his class is

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: CHEM107
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

sooo weird.. he tells stupid personal stories during lecture like how he met his wife online.. and alwayssss makes mistakes doing example problems it got me so confused!

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: CHEM107
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He's really adorable, but his teaching methods are not the greatest. In order to get an A for this class you'll have to spend time teaching the class to yourself. If you did well in high school chem, then this class shouldn't be bad.